The Guardians - Chapter 'X'
by Yoshumari Korisuno
Summary: A compilation of short stories that will fill in holes from the game or from 'The Guardians' saga. There is no canon support for any of these short 'plays', so really they are just here for you enjoyment!
1. Play 1

Play 1:

Ellee skipped down the road from their trip into town to get her ninth birthday present, while her older sister Selina, 14, and two brothers, Michal, 16, and Logan, 19, trailed behind her like a pack of wolves.

"Come on you slow pokes! We're never going to get there at this rate." Ellee called as she stopped and called after them at the top of a ridge.

"Ellee, you know you're supposed to stay with us." Her sister Selina called, brushing her reddish brown hair out of her face. Ellee just laughed as she skipped further down the road until her older brother Michal came running up behind her, grabbing her and picking her up over his shoulder as she giggled and squealed. It wasn't much longer until the small group reached their house where Hillanna, their mother stood hanging out the laundry and Derik their father was mending a fence where they kept horses and pigs.

"Welcome home you four. I trust that your trip to Henesys was uneventful?" Hillanna asked as she spotted them coming up the road.

"Oh, Ellee, you've soiled your best dress." Hillanna commented as Ellee looked down and saw the many mud splatters all over her dress, making her stop and begin crying when she saw the mud splattered all over her dress.

"It's not her fault! There was a heard of wild Boar chasing after us and she fell into a bramble bush. We really didn't have a choice in what happened." Logan explained as Ellee began crying a bit harder, expecting a harsh punishment until her father put his arm around her and put her head on to his shoulder as he knelt down.

"Hush my child. I'm just glad that you're alright. We'll have this fixed in no time. Why don't you go inside and change, I'll try and get those stains out." He soothed. Those words always made Ellee feel better as Derik kissed her forehead.

The happy little family lived on the fringes of Ellinia and Henesys where the forest began to thin into wide and flat plains. Selina playfully punched Logan in the arm launching them all into a game of tag that Ellee soon joined after she had changed. Hillanna brushed the back of her hand against her head to wipe away the sweat: the past few days had been difficult since as of late she had begun to constantly feel tired and no amount of rest could cure it. Derik came down from the roof and came over to her, firmly massaging her shoulders as he watched their kids play and wrestle in the yard.

"How are you today my love?" he asked, rubbing the sides of her arms before putting his arms around her waist.

"The same as always: it feels like I've run for hours and yet all I've done is hung out the laundry." She said, placing her soft hands on Derik's: she always liked hanging the laundry out when the weather was warm since the sheets especially became drenched in the scents of the forest.

"Maybe we should call Grendal and have him take a look at you." He said. Hillanna turned around and shook her head.

"Grendal has plenty of other things to concern himself with rather than looking after one housewife."

"Well then if not Grendal, why not at least go and see Dr. Faymos?" She shook her head again at this idea, but Derik insisted until she finally gave in to seeing him in the morning. When morning did come however, Hillanna could hardly move. She felt as if her world was tipping from side to side and her body pulsed with the same pain as though she had just gotten over the flu. Derik watched as she stumbled from the bed to the door frame of their bedroom, panting quickly with her cheeks flushed red, quickly getting up and going to her just as her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor.

"You have an incredible fever! You're going to Dr. Faymos now." Derik said firmly, picking her up in his arms and taking her to his horse. When he came back inside, Logan was sitting at the table nursing a glass of water while holding his head.

"Logan? Are you feeling alright son?" Derik asked. Logan looked up from his glass and nodded.

"My head just hurts a little; I probably didn't drink enough water yesterday."

"Alright then; I need you to look after the others until we get back. We shouldn't be gone more than 3 hours." Logan nodded and continued to nurse the cup of water. He felt sooooo tired, even after getting a good night's sleep he felt like just collapsing, like all the strength had been taken away from him. In any case, he needed to get the others up and ready to begin the chores. He quickly washed the cup and put it in the drying rack before slowly walking his way back to his sibling's room.

* * *

"Hmmm… I don't see anything particularly wrong with you. If it was some kind of virus then your tonsils would be all swollen, but they aren't even puffy. You say that you felt like you just got over the flu this morning and that you've been mysteriously tired?"

"Yes, that's right." Hillanna answered. Faymos cradled his chin in the space between his thumb and forefinger, thinking through his massive library of a mind to give them an answer.

"To tell the truth, I really have no idea what it is you have. The only other one who could tell you is Grendal, but he has yet to return from going to the Temple of Time. In the mean time, just go home and get plenty of rest." Hillanna nodded and with the help of Derik, walked back to the horse where she was helped up and then taken back to their house. Faymos however was worried; what could cause something like this to happen? For hours he looked over his medical books, beginning to wonder if maybe this was something that was magical instead of physical that could be taking place: he was at his wits end, and decided that he needed Grendal. If he wasn't there, then maybe there would be something in his library about this strange sickness.

* * *

Hillanna's head lifted from her pillow as she doubled over with a gut wrenching cough, while Logan watched over her, barely able to move his own arms as he squeezed out the towel and place it on her head again as she laid back down on the couch.

"Logan, go and get some rest, I'll be fine." Hillanna instructed when Ellee came in, looking worried as her sister Selina stumbled in behind her, looking just as tired as Logan.

"Mommy? Selina's not looking so good." She said softly, helping her sister into a chair next to Hillanna. Michal came in too, looking like Logan had in the early morning.

"Michal, you too?" Hillanna asked, weakly holding out her hand to him. There was a knock at the door which Derik stood and answered quickly.

"Dr. Faymos! Have you found what might be causing this?" he asked, answered by Faymos's eager nod.

"It is a Magic Virus called the Life Eater. I went to Grendal's library to see if he was home, but all I found were his books. Apparently this virus eats away at a person's mana until the Virus's demand for it begins to eat away at the person's Life Force, which explains why she was so tired. Not only that but it looks as if it has infected your children as well." Ellee held her hands to her mouth; so far her brothers, sister and her mother all had this virus, and they were going to die!

"Is there a cure?" Derik asked.

"Yes there is. But I am not skilled enough to make it. However, there is one in Mu Lung named Tae Sang. From what I hear, he is an old Panda that is extremely gifted in making potions that can cure anything. The particular one that he has developed is called the Elixir of Life. From what is mentioned here in this book that should cure it."

"Where do I go?" Ellee asked, eager to make her family what it was just two days before.

"You would be willing to go the Mu Lung?" Faymos asked in surprise. Ellee nodded her head, looking back at Logan, her oldest brother as he sat by Hillanna noticing that her father looked to be succumbing to the virus as well.

"Very well: take this bag of Pages and go to the ship yard in Ellinia. Tell the ticket master that you want to go to Orbis. Once there find a person by the name of Agatha and ask her to help you and tell her that you want to go to Mu Lung. She will guide you through the station there in Orbis: it's a very big place. Once you reach Mu Lung, talk to Do Gong and ask for Tae Sang where you can ask him for his Elixir of Life." Faymos explained. Ellee listened intently to the instructions she was given, and once she had all the directions she nodded and began running for Ellinia with tears streaming from her eyes as she went. She didn't want to lose any of her family, especially Logan; he was like her security blanket, someone she went to when everything went wrong and the one person she admired almost as much as her mother. The trip from Victoria to Orbis couldn't end soon enough for her, but she was the first one to run off the ship and begin searching for Agatha whom she found at the information desk. Once she had explained her situation, Agatha walked from around her desk and quckly guided her through the crowds of people, even going so far as to offer to buy her ticket to Mu Lung. It wasn't long until she was flying through the breezes onto Mu Lung where she would meet Do Gong, who was aware of her coming since Agatha had called ahead. With every passing moment that she flew, she wanted to smack the bird that carried her to make it go faster. She felt she had already wasted a precious eight hours in coming to Orbis, and now another three hours would be wasted in getting to Mu Lung. All the same, the large crane landed and Ellee jumped off where she was met by Do Gong who took her straight to Tae Sang.

"Yes, what can I do for you young one?" Tae Sang asked as he set both of his paws in his cane

"Please Mr. Sang, my family has come down with the Life Eater Virus and you're the only one that can make an Elixir of Life to save my family, please oh please make it for me!" Ellee sputtered in a continuous stream, almost incomprehensible. Tae Sang smiled and he motioned for her to follow him into his quarters where bottles, herbs and roots rested on the wall. On the counter was an elegant bottle with a swirling violet potion inside, which Sang reached for and held it out to her.

"Here, take it. I just finished it so it isn't as potent as if you were to wait a few days. But it is still strong enough to do the job. Give a spoonful to everyone, and they will be cured." Ellee gently took the bottle and hugged it close, while tears of thankfulness streamed down her cheeks.

"Now go!" Tae Sang urged, as Do Gong escorted her back to the platform after she had purchased a ticket and was sent on her way back to Orbis on an emergency launch off schedule, while No Gong called back to Orbis to make sure that a ship was ready to take her back to Victoria on an emergency launch.

"Are you sure about giving her the Elixir without payment?" Do Gong asked Sang as they watched the crane fly away.

"There is no need to further her anxiety. I doubt though that she will make it: the Life Eater virus is a powerful strain of the Blue Fire virus. Once symptoms of the Life Eater begin to show, like I assume they already have, the victims have a day at most."

As Ellee had changed ships, she noticed that she began feeling tired, just like her mother and Logan had before she left, and began to worry that she was coming down with the virus herself. She thought about taking some of the Elixer but refused, telling herself that it was for her family first and then she would take some. Quietly she went below deck of the Ticket's ship and curled into a ball, falling asleep and waiting for the ship to dock. _What she opened her eyes to was a world that she no longer recognized: everything was shifted and rearranged. Entire cities were engulfed in flames, people ran everywhere as strange and twisted beasts chased them, some even being caught as their blood was splattered everywhere. She felt a presence behind her and turned to see a black cloud rising over the entirety of Ossyria, stretching its arms and boney fingers out until bright lavender eyes opened, wavering in flames. _The sight made her jerk out of her sleep, clutching the bottle of Elixir with white knuckles and feeling exhausted. But she was glad that she had jerked awake since the ship was slowing and pulling into the dock, running up the stairs and tearing down the gang plank, through the town and back to her house despite her quickly fading energy. It seemed like forever but she finally made it back to her house just as the sun was coming up. She slowed to a walk, stumbling and leaning from side to side due to her exhaustion but forcing her feet to walk, slumping into the door.

"I have it! I have the potion!" she called. However, there was no response, no weak thankful voice, just silence. She looked up to see her sister slumped over in her chair with a gaping look on her face and her normally sparkling brown eyes dull and lifeless. She looked back to Michal who was collapsed on the floor beside her father, who was slumped over with ashen skin and rolled back eyes. Her mother lay still as stone, with one hand hanging on the floor of their hut. But the worst was Logan: he lay face first on the floor, reaching out for the door as if trying to go and meet her. Weakly, Ellee clambered over to him, and listened to his chest: he was still breathing! Quickly she rolled him over the best she could, and patted his face, her skin beginning to feel clammy.

"Logan! Logan, can you hear me?" Logan took a ragged breath and opened his eyes to her, smiling and trying to put his hand on her shoulder, but being so weak that he could barely breathe.

"Ellee, you made it back." he wheezed. Ellee nodded as she brought the bottle up showing it to him. Logan seemed to be saying something, but Ellee couldn't hear anything he was saying as she pulled the cork from the bottle and poured what she thought to be a spoonful into his mouth. Logan weakly swallowed, as his eyes looked back to her, and in one burst of will powered strength, reached for her hand and squeezed with every last ounce of strength he had.

"Ellee, you will never… be alone. So long as you think of me, I will live in your heart." Ellee gripped his hands, waiting in tearful anticipation for the potion to kick in, but nothing was happening. Logan smiled as he took one last breath and slowly let it out, his grip no longer there and his skin turning an ashen color. Ellee called to him, cradling his head in her small lap, calling time and time again, still going unanswered. Quickly she grabbed the bottle and poured half the contents into his mouth, but still nothing happed. Ellee could no longer hold back the enormous sorrow she felt, wailing to the winds where no one heard her lonesome cries. For an hour she stayed by Logan's body, until her tears ran dry. She felt lost, confused: she drank the rest of the potion, but nothing happened. Slowly, Ellee got up and walked out of her hut, just walking to anyplace that would be away from here. But where would she go? She had no other family that she knew of, and she was only nine years old, nowhere near old enough to become an apprentice to Grendal, so what would she do? Her wonderings led her to the Sleeping Wood, where creatures watched her movements with dripping fangs and salivating mouths, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce on her. Still she walked, falling down pathways in the dark, but getting back up, not even feeling the pain of the cuts she had received from the sharp rocks until at last, she came to the darkest part of the cave where nothing grew, and nothing came close. Falling to her face when the last of her strength had been sapped by the Virus, she managed to cry one final tear.

"So this is how it ends for me?" she asked to the dark, slowly closing her eyes and letting the darkness close in around her, reaching out to her last bit of life.

"Mother… Logan… I'm sorry…"

"You death doesn't have to be here, young child." Ellee's eyes suddenly flew open at the sound of the comforting voice that was accompanied by a multitude of whispers.

"Who, who are you?" she asked weakly.

"Sh, sh, sh… don't speak. I am someone who was severely misunderstood and was sealed under this stone. If you allow me, I can cure you of your sickness." A strange black light lit up the cave revealing a rock with a carved seal into it. Ellee wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real or if what this voice promised was even possible as she thought back to what had happened to her bother.

"I got the medicine, and drank it, but it has done nothing." She whispered.

"Then allow me. I am someone who can take care of you. Your sorrow tells me everything, but I will be someone who will always be there for you." the man's voice sounded kind and sincere, and she began to have hope in her young heart. Nodding, she signified that she would allow whatever that needed to be done to her. Arms made of what seemed to be pure aura reached out to her body and lifted her into the air.

"This may be somewhat painful, but please try to endure." The voice said again. Ellee took a breath and relaxed her body as the aura arms suddenly sent something painful through her small body as if it were a jolt of electricity. She arched her body while something like a blue cloud began leaking from her mouth; days went by, and the same process would be repeated up to five times a day, draining the soft chocolate color from her hair until it was a cutting silver. When at last the virus had been purged from her body, Ellee once again stood to her full height under her own strength looking over her hands and body feeling better than ever.

"If you wish, you may leave." The voice said when Ellee walked over to the rock and knelt down, putting her hand on it.

"I have no where left to go. Teach me; teach me to be as powerful as you. I want to help you get out from under that terrible seal!" she said as the aura hands came up again and stood her to her feet.

"Very well. I will teach you, but you must be warned that it will be painful."

"I understand." She said, breathing thankfully knowing that her wntire life lay ahead of her now.

"Good. What is your name little one?"

"Ellee, Ellee Kale."

"Ellee. From this point on, you are my apprentice, and you shall be known from here to eternity as Eleanor." Ellee swished the name around in her head a moment, liking the way it sounded.

"May I ask what your name is Master?" the aura around the rock glowed a strange bright black color, as if the person in the seal was smiling.

"I am, The Black Mage."

* * *

Logan suddenly lifted his head from the floor, looking around at all his family who lay dead all around him. He stood up, thinking back to when he had seen Ellee return with the bottle of Elixir and pour some in his mouth. As he looked around for her though his foot hit the bottle the Elixir had been in. He looked around the house calling for her, but she was nowhere to be seen or heard. Quickly he ran through the house, grabbed his canteen and was about to leave, when he noticed in the bathroom mirror that his hair had become snow white. He stayed only for a moment and then quickly left, searching for his little sister.

"_Guys, I'll come back and burry you soon, I just need to see If I can find Ellee._" He thought as he searched for days, but found nothing. When he finally came back, the family had been buried with a small flower on each of the shallow graves. Bowing his head, he prayed for them, and then turned towards the shipyard in Ellinia: he would start a new life somewhere else since he had lost his entire family and had lost his little sister. A friend of his told him about a mining town west of Ossyria called Edelstein that was just beginning, so with a heavy heart he decided _that_ was where he would start his life over. A few hours later he landed in the port, looking around at all the machines that clanked and hummed in the city when he bumped into a well dressed man.

"Oh Sorry." Logan apologized, grabbing the man before he toppled over.

"Oh no it's quite alright. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you new here?" the man asked.

"Yes. I actually came here on the referral of a friend to possibly find some work."

"Well then my boy; let me be the first to welcome you to Edelstein. My name is Albert, Mayor of this town. What might you're name be?" the man asked, extending his hand. Logan thought for a moment and then smiled, firmly gripping his hand in return.

"Chuck, but my friends call me Checky."


	2. Play 2

Play 2

Aran ran around to the front of the house as his friend Jenik came running from the opposite direction and slapped him on the arm, tagging Aran and running the other direction as fast as he could. Aran skidded to a stop, nearly falling over as his feet tried to grip the loose ground and ran after Jenik. Helena came running in from another direction, waiting just behind the corner for a moment before tackling Aran to the ground, all of them around the age of 10.

"Aw come on Helena! I was just chasing after Jenik!" Aran whined, brushing the bark chips from his shirt.

"Do not be so infantile, besides I'm the one who is 'it'." Helena said in a somewhat mature tone, despite her young age. Aran scrambled to his feet and ran away from her as best he could until he was tagged again, chasing after his friends once more. Aran's mother Phoebe came out of the house, her stomach protruding greatly from the life that she carried inside her.

"Aran! Can you give your mother a helping hand with dinner?" she called, leaning against the door frame to steady her frontal imbalance. Aran stopped midstride and rolled his eyes as he turned around and began back for the house.

"I shall come as well." Helena called as she trotted after her best of best friends in the whole wide world. She was the daughter of a well know Elf chief, who led their tribe just on the south side of Ellinia, in the Ellin Forest.

"Helena, you do know that you'll probably get in trouble for hanging around me again right?" Aran said matter-o-factly as he walked back to the house.

"My father is such a stuffy old goat with the counsel and my mother is so always busy that it becomes rather boring around my home." Aran shrugged as he came back in the house, gathering ingredients for dinner that while Helena did what she could to help, despite her small size until Aran's father Jacob came home from working in the fields where he and fifteen other men worked all day.

That was the way most of the days were spent for Aran as a child: School, tag, and then dinner until one day he came home and found that he had a new baby brother with bright reddish orange eyes and a laugh that could light up an entire room named Maha. For the first four years of Maha's new life, things were challenging: making sure he had food, keeping an eye on him, and trying to figure out what it was that he wanted when all he would do is cry at the top of his lungs. It was wasn't long however before Maha was following Aran around like a lost puppy, wanting to do EVERYTHING that his older brother did, even wanting to join in his training with a halberd. Phoebe could only laugh as she watched Maha try to pick up a stick that was far too big for him and try to repeat the same motions that Aran would easily move through with his own halberd. Helena too would sometimes beg and prod for Aran to let her play with his weapon as would Maha, but time and time again they would become frustrated and give up when they couldn't swing the heavy weapon easily like he could. One day Aran just couldn't help himself and went to one of the best weapon's makers in all of Ossyria based in Mu Lung named Sir Black asking him to make lighter and smaller training weapons for his friends. While his action was noble, it was more so that they could join him as he trained himself, learning techniques from illustrated scrolls he had purchased at the local library without having to be begged for the use of his halberd.

"Very well then! I shall make the weapons, but it will take some time before I can have them ready for you. I can have them ready by the end of today, so would you be willing to wait?" Sir Black asked. Aran, Helena and Maha all nodded as they found places around the blacksmith's shop to become comfortable. Aran and Helena had both recently turned 16 years old, with the now six year old Maha often seen clumsily running after them with this shaggy reddish brown hair tied back in a pony tail that nearly reached his feet.

"Would you like to hear a story while you wait?" Sir Black asked once again as he stoked the fire and tossed ingots of metal into the furnace. The three of them leaned forwards, listening intently as Sir Black began the story of Solomon and how he had defeated an old demon known and Amdusias using a special bow that had never been found after he defeated the demon. But it was said that the bow itself was a 'living weapon' and not just an ordinary bow.

"Who was it that made this bow?" Helena asked, her eyes suddenly wide with anticipation and curiosity. She had heard of weapons having great power within them, but she had never heard of a _living_ weapon before.

"This kind of weapon is not forged. It is a dark process that requires a sacrifice."

"What do you mean?" Maha asked, scooting closer to the edge of his rock seat.

"It is exactly as I have told you: It requires sacrifice. It is a heavy price that one must pay in order to create such a weapon." Sir Black said sternly as his face became grim while he pounded away at the metal that made up the training halberds.

"Here are your weapons that you have requested. For such a noble cause as training friends, I shall give them to you free of charge. Just promise me that you won't hurt yourselves." Helena and Maha took the weapons, looking over them and bouncing them in their hands to become used to the weight that had been given to the weapons.

For weeks afterwards, the three of them could be found swinging their weapons through many, many forms and maneuvers, becoming quite the halberd swingers even if they were self taught from scrolls. But no sooner had they begun to train together than Helena said that her village was moving away; far, far away and that she wouldn't be able to see Maha or Aran ever again. The day that she and her village left, she could see the two brothers atop a hill overlooking the path that her people were taking, and swore to herself that one day, she would return to them as she looked over her shoulder at the training halberd strapped her back.

Days turned to weeks; weeks turned to months; months turned to four years as the brothers continued training and sparring with each other. Aran eventually became an apprentice under Triston with Maha as his Page, even going so far as to become a part of Triston's Royal Guard who watched the outer perimeters of the Palace City of Orbis. Maha however was feeling left behind since he and his older brother Aran did _everything_ together but as of late, it seemed that Aran had less and less time to train him the way he used to. And so in an effort to find a way to help his older brother, Maha went back to Sir Black and asked once again what it would take to make the 'Living Weapon' he had told them about when Sir Black had made them the training halberds.

"I told you before, it requires a sacrifice!" Black scolded.

"That's not good enough information Black! I want to know _exactly_ what it requires. Maybe there is some way that I can work around it." Maha said eagerly. Sir Black's face became sad as he set down his hammer and motioned for Maha to follow him to a room, locked by so many locks that Maha almost lost count.

"In this very room here, is where _I_ created the Bow that Solomon used, Ancient." Quickly he took the key from around his neck and opened every lock, each one sounding as if it were a hammer on the anvil as they sprang open. When at last the door opened, what awaited Maha was a gut turning sight: the entire smooth dirt floor was covered in a giant stain where blood a pooled then dried. Along every wall were the same stains, some even looking as though they had run down to the floor, and the ceiling looked as if a giant glob of blood had been hurled at the very center. There was no furniture, no decorations, not even a window.

"In this very room is where the Living Weapon bow, Ancient, was born. It is a terrible spell really, and I have refused to make or allow anyone to make another living weapon since. To make the weapon, a person must read an ancient dark spell that begins to change the person on the inside. I had to watch as Solomon's best friend perform said spell. At first it didn't seem like anything that terrible would happen. But I was wrong: over the rush of wind that was surrounding him and screams of pain I could hear his bones breaking as the the hellish spell continued to wind tighter around him. I came inside the room just as a peaceful smile spread on his face and his body was surrounded in light. It seemed that it was complete; when the entirety of his body was reduced to nothing more than a thick painting of blood, leaving the bow floating in mid air where Solomon's friend had once been. When I looked over the formula for the spell again it was only then that I realized that the spell used the person as the basis for the weapon, not simply to give the weapon its own life." Maha nodded and only then understood why it was that Black had hesitated to tell them about why had happened in the past.

Two months later, Maha celebrated with Aran when he had endured a test by Minerva to become part of her special training program to be her elite warriors. Aran, now 20, and Maha had just turned 10, celebrated heartily that night with the entire family, and Aran's old friend Jenik.

"To Aran, a Hero of Ossyria!" Jenik toasted, making them all lift their mugs high and drink the sweet liquid within.

"It's a shame that Helena isn't here to share this with us." Aran said sadly, putting his mug down as did the rest of them.

"I'm sure she'd be happy for you." Jacob said, slapping Aran on the back, turning their attention away from those that were absent and to what lay ahead for Aran. Over the next five years, Aran received training from Minerva herself, while Maha tried his hardest to master the skills that he had been taught by Aran in the past so that he could eventually catch up to him and be of some help. One day however, Aran managed to squeeze in enough time to leave his training and meet Maha for a quick lunch in the town where Maha soon found that even if he had 100 years to train, he wouldn't be of any help to his older brother. When Aran left, Maha suddenly remembered what it was that Sir Black had said about making the living weapon.

"_If I can't be of any help to Aran this way, then I'll be his weapon!_" he thought. Quickly he ran back to Sir Black, and very slyly managed to work out of him where it was that the spell book for the Living Weapon was kept. Under the pretence that he was just going to look at the spell out of interest, Maha flipped through the pages learning everything that he could about the spell and finally making up his mind. Grabbing a pen and paper, he jotted down some of the items that he would need and then wrote the spell on the back of the list. Respectfully he put the book back and left, gathering up the ingredients that he would need to make the spell work through the day, finishing by grabbing the gold embroidered shirt that Aran had given him for his 14th birthday and clamped on the gold earrings he had been saving for the love of his life, whom ever she would have been, then ran back for the Blacksmiths shop.

* * *

Early the next morning, Sir Black came stumbling sleepily into the shop, throwing coal onto the fire and hauling on the bellows to get the fire going again.

"Haseem! Where are you!? Get out here and get the fire stoked!" he called to his apprentice when he felt his foot step into a puddle of something gooey. Black picked up his foot and saw the ground was a muddy mess mixed with some kind of thick red liquid.

"_Mud? There was no rain last night. Oh no, Maha!_" As he looked up, he saw that the bottom of the door where he had locked away his greatest heartbreak was dripping with a thick red liquid while rivers of the same substance flowed from under it. Hurriedly Black reached for the door, but they were barred shut. He desperately reached for one of the maces the he had made and broke down the door.

"MAHA!"

* * *

Aran was perplexed: Maha hadn't been there to see him when Minerva had announced that their training was complete as he had expected, nor could he find him around the village or around Orbis. When he asked his aging parents if they had seen him, they too could only say they hadn't seen him in the past couple of days. Aran wasn't worried since it was a regular occurrence that Maha would go off to some training house for a few days and come back and eventually convinced himself that Triston had him out on a scout mission since he was probably old enough now to join his core.

Now that he was finished training, he thought it time that he should have the very best of weapons made by Sir Black, and so made the time to make the journey to Mu Lung and meet with his old friend.

"Aran! My look how you've changed! You're such a burly young man now; and I'll bet the ladies are pretty impressed with you." Black said, bouncing his eyebrows and nudging him in the abs.

"Oh stop it Black." Aran laughed, pushing Black away from him and nearly knocking him to the ground from still being unaccustomed to his new sheer strength.

"Actually I came here for a weapon, the finest you can make me. Price is no problem." Aran said proudly, taking a small sack of gold coins from his belt. Black's face became distraught as he nodded and turned to walk further into the storage portion of his smith.

"I have an extremely sharp weapon for you that will suit you just fine. I've been saving it for you." He said despondently, reaching for a weapon covered with sack cloth. Carefully Aran pulled the twin that held the cloth and pulled the cloth away, revealing a beautifully decorated halberd that was easily thrice the size of any halberds Aran had been training with or that Black had ever made, but was almost three times as light, as if it were weightless.

"This is an exquisite halberd Black! Your craftsmanship is beyond compare; how much for this one?" Aran asked as he reached for his pouch of money and pulled the drawstring, looking over the halberd and trying to figure out where he had seen such an ornate design on the blade and such fine rings hooked into it.

"I think you need to read this first." Black said, handing him and piece of paper with shaky look to each of the letters.

_Aran, if you get this letter, then that means that Sir Black has already found me. I have trained for a long time under Triston and wanted to always be of some help to you. But with each passing day, I was being left further and further behind with no way to catch up to you. I managed to find the spell that Sir Black had told us about which made Solomon's bow, Ancient and used it myself to make you this halberd. I hope that I can be of some help to you._

_Your Brother, Maha._

Aran couldn't believe what it was that he had read: Maha had made himself into the very weapon that he was holding, sacrificing his own life and creating this exquisite weapon.

"No, NO! MAHA YOU FOOL!" Aran screamed as he hugged the shaft of the halberd, great tears falling from his eyes as he wept for a long while when a young boy's voice with a strange reverse echo spoke.

"Aran. Aran, I'm not completely gone." Aran looked up to see his brother floating beside him with in a strange, golden orange glow.

"Maha? Where did you…"

"I may be a weapon now, but I'm still right here. You were so far ahead of me in power and I wanted to be of some help to you, so this was the only thing that I could do. Do you at least like me?" Maha asked, hovering over to Aran's other side and crossing his arms.

"Yes, but Maha, you didn't need to go so far as to make yourself into a weapon."Aran sniffled. Maha laughed.

"Look at it this way; at least we'll always be together." Aran nodded and got back to his feet with a sad smile on his face.

"Thank you Black. It is a fine weapon indeed." He said, attaching a leather strap to the shaft provided by Black and slung the halberd to his back and to the adventures that awaited them in the future while Maha floated over to his shoulder and sat down, leaning over on his head looking forward to the adventures they would no doubt share.


	3. Play 3

Play 3:

Albert was worried: he had seen a strange dark haired girl flying over the city during the past few days, each time flying over a different part of the city and seeming to take notes.

"Is that strange girl back again today Father?" Gabrielle asked, coming to the window and watching as the girl would fly from here to there and then back again, stop and hover for a moment and then disappear to the east.

"Yes I'm afraid so. She worries me." Albert replied, hugging his daughter for a moment before sitting down at his desk, pondering what the appearance of this strange girl could mean. As he thought, Ferdi the school's headmaster walked in to the town's mayoral office, taking off his fine red velvet hat and adjusting his monocle.

"Your grace, I see the girl has come back again today. Have you heard anything from your informant as of late?" Ferdi asked, bowing slightly in greeting of Gabrielle. Albert shook his head and looked over the financial report for the town of Edelstein and Ferdi continued.

"Well I do have good news; ever since that man Checky has come our Rue mining has gone up nearly 150% each year and our accident rate has dropped to near zero." Ferdi and Albert continued talking while Gabrielle slipped out the back door to meet her boyfriend Wonny. He was a nice kid, even though his hair made him look as though he belonged in a biker gang.

"Wonny!" The young man turned around and smiled brightly, something that was unexpected from him.

"Gabby, hey, how are you doing my girl?" he asked as Gabrielle hung from his neck, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm alright. But father says that he's worried about the girl that keeps showing up, flying over the town." Wonny nodded as he looked to the sky and put his arm around her waist.

"I know what you mean, she makes me nervous too. Something big is gonna happen, I can feel it." The subject however was soon pushed aside as the two of them began walking through town hand in hand, passing John, Claudine's youger brother, as he came walking through the town, carrying with him a few plates of scrap metal that Checky their new mechanic, had used after making new parts for their rue drills. He, Checky and, Claudine were all very close but Checky and Claudine were even closer, sometimes going out and not coming back until the break of dawn. John wasn't worried: it had been a long time since he had seen his sister happy, and she was radiating it. Even their younger sister, Ulrika could tell that she was happy being with Checky. Everything in Edelstein seemed peaceful, until the day that Albert was charged with embezzling money from the city by a lanky young man, promising to do better than their current greedy mayor whom he portrayed as one who could care less about the well being of the people and more about the power that he could gain as mayor. It wasn't long before Anthony J. Peterson was set of as mayor after Albert was stripped of his mayoral position. However his grand promises of a better life were soon gone when the first thing that he did was double the demands for Rue ore and implementing a strict curfew making it near impossible to do anything.

Albert didn't like how easily Anthony had become mayor and so used what he could to get into the mayoral building and find out how exactly he had gotten to power so quickly. He soon found that there were receipts for exorbitant amounts of money being dumped into Anthony's personal account from an unnamed source, not to mention that Albert would sometimes see him walk behind the mayoral office for a short time and then come back with a briefcase. Albert followed him during one of these trips behind the building, doing the best he could to keep quiet and out of sight while still being able to see what it was that was going on. He found that he would receive the briefcases from the dark haired girl as well as some instructions.

"Are you sure you understand Anthony?" the girl would ask.

"Yes Lady Oberon."

"Good, Mistress Eleanor will be coming tomorrow with instructions and a date to which we will be coming for this city. You services are much appreciated by the Black Wings."

"_Black Wings? Aren't they the warriors for the Black Mage?_" Albert thought, carefully leaving the scene and heading for his home where he wrote a message addressed to the Empress Cygnus and her many battalions of knights, especially her five chief knights. It seemed like an eternity, but the next day the Empress responded to his message saying that they would help defend against the onslaught that no doubt about to come.

Several uneasy days passed with Albert talking with members of the community secretly, finding those who would oppose the Black Wings when the attack came led by their doctor Claudine who was also an excellent strategist. She recruited hundreds of the community members, including their mechanic and her younger brother John. Ulrika wanted to join in the fighting as well, but Claudine couldn't let a 2 year old child near what was going to happen and had her mother keep a close watch on Ulrika so that she wouldn't sneak away and cause more problems.

The Empress's chief knights also prepared, performing drills and training every day to make sure they were ready for this mysterious woman that could be seen flying around Edelstein, even setting up a special phone line that ran directly to Neinheart in Ereve. Day after agonizing day, the people of Edelstein waited as they went about their daily lives while the Knights stood in wait for their cue. When at last the day came, the people of Edelstein noted that there were many people who came into town wearing black clothes, wandering around the town not speaking to anyone. Albert became suspicious of them and began trying to get his daughter away when a tall lanky man stopped him.

"And where do you think you're going sir? This city is under complete lock down; no one is to enter of leave." Albert tried to push through when the man pulled a pistol and stuck it in his side.

"I suggest you stay here. It is for your own good." The man said with a sneer, looking down at him over his long nose. Albert was about to take a swing at him when something landed in the center of the crowd. It looked to be a suit of armor for one's upper body, followed by another, and another, until the sky was filled with the armors falling from the sky hitting the ground with a loud and hollow clang. Then all at once a green fabric-like flame erupted from the bottom, where a man's torso would be as well as the top of the helmet, making the armor begin to hover in the air slightly.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'm glad that you all decided to come today: My name Is Oberon. Now I would really like you to surrender your city peacefully so there will be as few casualties as possible. If you resist however I will use force and it will not be a pretty sight. Anthony, you are free to go."

"But! What about my payment! You promised that I would remain governor of this city!" Anthony objected, pushing his way through the crowd and facing Oberon directly as she hovered in the air above them, who quickly descended and landing just before him.

"I never promised you anything. All I said was that if the Master sees fit, you will remain as head of Edelstein's voice. I never said that you would be its governor. In fact, Master has said that it is Bevan who will remain in charge." Anthony went red with rage, grabbing a nearby shovel and charging at her. In a blur of movement, Oberon turned around and swung her Plasma Great Sword, cutting the shovel in half.

"I see: Memory Knights! Take them!" she shouted as they knight's fires flared brighter while everyone in the town began charging forwards.

* * *

Neinheart waited impatiently: Heidrin had already told him that some kind of empty armor had landed in the town, but it wasn't doing anything. Neinheart wanted to give the order to storm into Edelstein so badly that he could taste it, but he had received explicit instructions from Albert not to storm in until he had called for them, giving them the element of surprise. Finally Neinheart had had enough, and was about to stand to give the order to move out when he heard a woman's laugh echoing through all of the island. Cygnus looked around as Shinsoo's feathers became harder than steel, his eyes became yellow and focused, and his teeth grew out from his gums.

"Ha ha ha ha! Do you really believe that you can help the Edelsteinians?" Neinheart looked to Eckhart and Heidrin who only shook their heads and shrugged, not able to sense where the voice was coming from.

"Show yourself you coward!" Neinheart thundered. The woman's laughter continued as she slowly appeared before them, hovering in the air.

"My my, such a strong man. You know if I had met you as a younger woman, I just might have fallen in love with you." she said, leaning forward so that her chest boiled over her violet top and blew a kiss at him.

"Who are you!?" Heidrin demanded.

"Who am I? Ha! Now there's a question you should already know the answer too. My name is Eleanor, Black Witch of the Black Wings." Neinheart's eye went wide.

"You?! You're the leader of the Black Wings?!"

"Well, not completely, but in a sense, yes. And I hate to say it but you aren't going anywhere." The sound of huge creatures hitting the ground just outside of the palace garden rolled through the air like thunder.

"You'll be too busy trying to stay alive!" She growled as giant creatures made completely of bones came pounding through the trees with sharp talons and claws, not to mention teeth that were as sharp as razor blades.

"ATTAAACK!" Mihile shouted as his battalion charged in head first, cutting down a few of the boned beasts. But no sooner had the beasts been broken apart, then the bones reformed and began to attack once again. Oz's battalion, Irena's battalion and Hawkeye's battalion charged in as well, while Eckhart and his battalion attacked from the shadows. No sooner would they defeat one monster completely, and then three more would melt into existence from the tree line. Neinheart grabbed his cutlass and charged into battle, while Shinsoo took to the skies with the young Cygnus atop his back, tearing through the beasts as best he could. However the phone from Edelstein began to ring making Neinheart give the order to go there. But with every advance that they tried to make for Edelstein, Eleanor and the Skelegons would drag them back into battle. Soon the knights and Shinsoo began to tire, panting heavily while supporting their weight on their legs. Eleanor floated down to the ground, looking around at the damage that had been done, not only to Ereve but also to her army of Skelegons that a moment before were trampling every single knight. Hawkeye was the first to rally his strength and stand ready, fists drawn up and green electricity sparking from his fists.

"_This isn't good at all. I've only got enough mana for one, maybe two Dragon Strikes, and summoning my guardian. After that however, it'll come down to pure strength, which I don't have much of left."_ Hawkeye thought, trying to seem calm as Eleanor shifted her weight to one leg and stared at him with a sly smirk on her face.

"Come now, you brawny little man. Do you honestly think you can take me on in your condition?" she taunted as Neinheart struggled back to his feet just as the phone rang again, piercing the uneasy silence that had hung in the air a moment before.

"Are you going to get that?" Eleanor asked. Neinheart was about too, but something made him stop and then pick up the receiver just in case.

"Yes?" Neinhearts pupils became tiny dots from listening to the voice on the other end of the line.

"It's for you." Neinheart said, holding out the phone to her. Eleanor happily took the receiver, put it too her ear for a moment and then nodded, putting the phone back down on its elegant golden hooks.

"That was my student Oberon. She just called to inform me that the city of Edelstein you were supposed to help is now under our control. I wonder how long it took you to come up with a counter plan for us: because in the end, it did you little good." Mihile became enraged as a golden light exploded from his feet and a giant cross made of the purest light appeared behind him.

"You filthy WITCH!" he called as he charged in and swung down hard, suddenly stopped by something that Eleanor held up.

"My, you are a tenacious one." She smiled, pushing him back and holding her hand out as a swirl of a black something formed in her hand and then shot at Mihile, making him skid backwards as he held it back and then deflected it into the air.

"Come and get me then!" Eleanor said, crossing her arms while the tips of her black nailed fingers flared with black aura. Shinsoo landed hard behind the Knights, still in his protection state baring his fangs and growling low while saliva and blood dripped from his gums after biting through the hard bones of the Skelegons.

"You won't escape easily!" Shinsoo said as he lowered his stance with a bright blue light flowing from the jewel mounted on his head and descending over the knights, making them feel less tired and rejuvenated.

"Oh I beg to differ." Eleanor called back proudly, as she and the knights charged at each other: While Hawkeye would strike from the left; Eckhart would attack from above while Mihile swung to force her back into the incoming stars. However Eleanor threw her hand forward sending an arch of power towards Mihile making him struggle to keep it at bay, while grabbing Hawkeye's fist and guiding past her straight into the path of Oz's incoming fire spell. Hawkeye did the best he could to avoid it, but still had part of his hair singed. Irena drew her bow as she ran around Eleanor, but each arrow was easily deflected as Eleanor spun around, unleashing more arcs of black power at Mihile and Oz as they tried to land a hit on her.

Shinsoo spread his wings and bowed low while the feathers on his wings glowed brightly. The Knights fell to the ground as a sheet of ice blue feathers shot from his wings at Eleanor. She casually put up a barrier, but the feathers hit it with such force that she went flying back, righting herself on a tree trunk. Eckhart and his contract fairy Umbra used that opportunity to charge at her, hurling a mass of stars and energy at her followed closely by Irena's Wind Arrow. Eleanor only had time to look up as the stars came careening and move from left to right. However she wasn't fast enough to avoid one of the stars slicing through her cheek. The sudden pain caught her off guard as Irena's arrow hit her and made her slam into a tree, cracking a rib and instantly bruising her arm. She used a teleportation spell, but found herself face to face with Oz who called upon a powerful spell, making fire swirl into existence and blast forward. Eleanor cast her own spell but before she could complete it, the blast of flames hit her and sent her careening back into Shinsoo's jaws. Before he could bite all the way down, Eleanor summoned a powerful barrier against his strong jaws. All the same the spell began to crack under the pressure until it failed all together and shot Eleanor out of his mouth. Mihile swung at her as she flew through the air, but she managed to place her hand on the broad side of the sword and push it away only to have her side explode with pain. She looked down to see an arrow pierced through her stomach and soaking her porcelain skin with blood. Her back exploded into even more pain as Hawkeye's fist made contact with her ribs, breaking three more of them with slamming her against a tree. The pain in her body was almost too much for her to move as she sat up with the knights and the empress standing over her, Shinsoo looking down at her from over the knights with bared fangs and curled lips.

"Tell me witch: what is it that you are after?" Mihile growled.

"My only purpose is to ensure the freedom of my master!" She coughed back. She tried to cast a spell, but the pain in her chest and side was too much for her to move and complete it.

"Then what? Are you going to help his destroy Ossyria like he did so long ago?" Hawkeye shouted, but Eleanor could only smirk.

"You humans are all the same: you think so small mindedly. The Black Mage has plans far beyond what your tiny minds could possibly comprehend."

"Then what would those plans be?" Cygnus asked as she stepped forwards, while Shinsoo's neck muscles tightened, ready to strike. Eleanor gritted her teeth and reached into the pocket on her skirt, pulling out the Dark Crystal she had stolen before she had come to take on the knights.

"You'll just have to wait and found out." The crystal glowed as she began using its power while Shinsoo lunged at her, striking the ground and caving part of it in. Shinsoo pulled back, spitting the dirt and grass as he went back to his calm demeanor.

"That's doesn't sound good at all." Eckhart said as he turned to the Empress.

"She could have been such a wonderful sorceress for us if we had found her sooner." Cygnus mulled as Neinheart came in and set his hand on her shoulder.

"We have no time for that right now. We need to get to Edelstein and see if there is anything that we can still do." Cygnus looked up at Neinheart with angered eyes.

"With what Neinheart? So many young lives, the trainees under the knights, were lost because they didn't have the strength to fight against those beasts. What's worse is that now the Black Wings control Edelstein! There is no doubt that they have enforced security measures beyond what we can handle with the few knights left!" as she finished the phone rang again sharply, almost as if the emotion of the caller could be felt through the ringing. Cygnus picked it up, with sadness in her eyes.

"Yes? This is the Empress Cygnus." The voice that came over the line was the voice of a woman in tears.

"_Where were you knights? The Black wings destroyed everything! They've taken control over us, and then slaughtered so many people because you weren't there! On top of that, my younger brother was killed in the fight! Don't you even care about us!? We've been mining the Mithril Crystal for you for all these years! The least you could have done was come to our aid in our time of need!_" Cygnus put a hand to her face as she tried to hold back her tears.

"I'm sorry miss, but we had our own…"

"_Don't give me any excuses! You just didn't care about us! If we ever see you or your knights here in Edelstein, you will be seen as hostiles and you will be dealt with accordingly. I hope we of Edelstein never have to see your faces ever!_" with that final sentence, the phone line went dead as Cygnus fell to her knees.

"Edelstein, I tried. I'm so sorry. So many lives lost! I've tried to save lives and yet all I've managed to do is throw it away. What kind of Empress am I if I can't even save one city from the Black Wings?" She questioned as Shinsoo came over to her and nuzzled her slightly while she turned and put her arms around him, weeping into his soft feathers.

* * *

Claudine knelt down and set the bouquet of flowers on the headstone that stood in the middle of the grave yard just outside of town amid a hundred more bearing the names of the people lost in the takeover by the Black Wings, including the name of Claudine's younger brother, John.

"It's today isn't it?" Checky asked as he came up to Claudine and put an understanding hand on her back.

"Yes, the anniversary of my younger brother's death. It's hard to believe that it's been nine months since his death." Claudine said, holding up a picture of the red headed youth with a life filled smile and dancing green eyes.

"I promise John, I will make those Black Wings pay for what they did to you." she said as she touched the palm of her right hand to her left shoulder, then did the same with her left hand, snapped both fingers and the acted as thought she were punching straight forwards, John and Claudine's 'secret' handshake.

"Come on Checky, let's get back to work: is the armor nearing completion for a test?" Checky nodded and held up the keys with a smile on his face.


	4. Play 4

**This 'Play' is in response to the answer Eckhart gave Athena at the end of Chapter 17 of 'The Guardians' S1 - s/9641878/18/The-Guardians-Season-1**

Play 4

"Eckhart, I'm hungry." Oz whined, holding her stomach which growled in distaste against the hole in her.

"I know Oz, but we really can't do anything about it." Eckhart sadly said, looking down at is fire-red haired sister. Not long ago, the both of them had lived with their parents near the border of El Nath and Mu Lung. However a stray and hungry pack of Hector wolves had come into the area and terrorized the village. Some of the villagers had banded together to try and fight off the ferocious beasts, but even they were no match for them causing Oz and Eckhart become part of the many children who no longer had any parents. Eckhart knew that it would only be a matter of time before the Hector would find their hiding spot and begin to hunt them down one by one. So he decided that he would try and make it into Mu Lung where he and Oz would be at least be safe from the creatures that roamed the world. But that was proving to be difficult since Mu Lung was a journey that took eight days for a normal adult. But for an 11 and 3 year old, that journey would take far longer.

"Are you sure that you know where you're going the right way?" Oz asked, picking her way through the underbrush that constantly barred her way. Eckhart did his best to make sure not to lose track of her, especially since she resembled their mother so much.

"I'm not entirely sure Oz, but we'll make it Mu Lung, I promise." Promises made by Eckhart always made her feel better, especially when it was him who made them: he always kept his promises. Soon the scenery around them began to change from the chilly air that they had grown up in, to a warmer, damper climate; something that neither of them were used to but were glad for the change. As the two of them neared the outskirts of Mu Lung, they came across a huge peach farm. Oz had fallen asleep and was being carried by Eckhart at the moment, but the smell of the fleshy, juicy peaches woke her from her peaceful slumber. Ravenously the two of them ate as many as they could, then picked a few more and put them within the makeshift knapsacks they had made from their jackets. From what Eckhart had heard about Mu Lung, was there was a massive peach farm east of it and figured that if he were to walk west, he would find the town that he was looking for.

However that proved to be quite dangerous as creatures in the farm would often chase them down, making Eckhart find the nearest thing that he could use as a weapon to fend off the creatures. For two days they trekked and fought; Eckhart's injuries began to slow their progress as a fever slowly sapped his strength. But he couldn't let Oz down, not after the promise that he made to her. But his body couldn't keep up with his mind and eventually collapsed, unable to move with Oz pulling on his shirt reminding him of his promise. He tried to move while Oz used her little strength to pull him along but in the end, he couldn't: the cuts on his arms and face were red and swollen, his whole body ached and his fever sent chills through him.

"Ecky! Come on get up!"

"I'm sorry Oz, I just can't."

"But you promised!"

"I know I did, but I can't move anymore." Eckhart wheezed as Oz tried and tried to pull her brother in the direction that they needed to go. But no matter what she tried she just couldn't budge him. Night fell on them still finding Oz pulling as hard as she could on his torn and bloody sleeve before falling to the ground and breaking down into frustrated tears, curling up next to Eckhart to try and keep warm in the cooling night, pulling his arm around her as she fell asleep. Not long afterwards, a large shadow passed over them, looming over them like a large boulder with sharp claws and eyes that seemed to glow in the moon light.

* * *

It felt like it had only been a few hours, but four days passed before Eckhart once again opened his eyes to find himself with a room made out of stone surrounding in simple decorations and furniture.

"Ecky! You're awake!" Oz called, running up to him and jumping into his lap making Eckhart heave for breath.

"Where are we?" he asked in bewilderment, looking around and taking in the sights that were all around.

"The nice bear-man found us in the peach farm and brought us here. He said that you were really sick and gave you some medicine. Now you're all better." Oz answer happily. Eckhart was about to ask who this 'bear-man' was when the cloth acting as a door was pushed aside and revealed a large bear with three scars over one eye.

"Ah, I see that you've finally awoken. Your injuries were infected and nearly took your life: it was by Minerva's hand that I found you, else you would have died." The bear said, walking over to the pot of food hanging over a fire and stirring the delicious smelling stuff inside. Eckhart was stunned as well as a bit fearful just staring blankly at the huge bear when he walked over to him, feeling his forehead with a massive paw.

"Your fever has broken, but you are weak: here eat this." The bear offered, handing him a bowl of the soup he had been cooking with some healing herbs sprinkled on the top.

"Your sister told me of all that you had done for her up to now: I admire that. Your sister is lucky to have someone like you to look after her. Where are your parents? Perhaps I can escort you back to them." Eckhart could only look down at the bowl of soup in his hands while Oz suddenly became silent and clung to Eckhart's sleeve.

"Our parents were killed and we don't have any other relatives that we know of. I want to be able to protect my sister always and make sure that she has a life to be proud of." He said, brushing her hair aside while she lay comfortably on his lap.

"I see: If you want to protect you sister, that I suggest that you go to the island of Victoria, where the Five Master's are and can offer you some training to make you stronger."

"Which of those masters do you think I should see?" Eckhart asked while smoothing down the hair on Oz's head as she curled up, sticking her thumb in her mouth and falling asleep, happy that her brother was going to be alright.

"The one that I would suggest is that of Dark Lord in Kerning City. It's a pretty big place and I can…"

"No! I mean, I appreciate the gesture, but I don't want to put you out more than I already have by you taking care of me and my sister for a time." The bear nodded his understanding; this boy was somewhat like him when he was young and he didn't want to step on that pride that he carried, even if it was a bit miss guided.

"I understand. Once you have recovered your strength, I'll take you into Mu Lung; there is a ship there staying over for some repairs." Again, Eckhart thanked him, determined more than ever to find this Dark Lord so that he could protect his sister, no matter the cost. By that afternoon, Eckhart was already out of the cot and walking around the area and into the town which wasn't too far away looking for that ship with Oz right behind him, slinking through the shadows of the cargo crates around the ship waiting for the chance to jump into the hold of the ship. At midnight, the two of them jumped into the hold just as the last of the repairs were being completed on one of its main masts and being boarded, hiding under a blanket and fell asleep. Dreams of their family kept them tossing and turning during the trip, sometimes even waking them when the dreams became too frightening. It was morning when the ship docked and the light from the cargo door opening punched both of them in the face, making Eckhart jump awake and wrap himself around Oz to hide them from the rough looking men that were coming in and unloading the ship's cargo. Quietly he managed to put Oz on his back and run out of the ship docking yard into a village that appeared to be built among the trees. After managing to find someone that would talk to him, he found that he had landed in Ellinia, the tree village of Magicians and Fairies and was soon directed towards Kerning City, its buildings looming large over the plains just outside of a place people called Lyth Bay.

The journey itself proved to be quite dangerous: twice he was chased by wild, territorial pigs and once Oz had her fingers burned from the poison of a red snail's shell after walking through a particularly think area of brush. Despite the dangers that plagued them, they finally made it into Kerning City; it was a much bigger city than the bear man had first let on but he wasn't kidding when he said it was a big place, not to mention there were hundreds of intimidating people around the middle of town near the sewers. No one seemed interested in helping him try to find where this Dark Lord was supposed to be, and those that did seem to know would only look at him when he asked and laughed before turning around and walking away.

"You're looking for Dark Lord kid?" asked a well dressed Ninja, sporting a heavy looking claw while his two friends sported decorative daggers on their belts.

"Yes, I am! Can you tell me how to find him? I've been looking everywhere. My sister and I are the only things that we have." Eckhart replied thankfully.

"I'm sorry to say this, but you just missed him. He disappeared about six months ago, and we haven't seen him since." Said the young man, readjusting the belts on his claw after they had come loose.

"Dark Lord's missing too?" Asked a swordsman who happened to be passing through the city.

"Yeah, why?"

"My master Dances with Balrog has gone missing too. All he left was a note saying that when the time was right that he would return." Eckhart's heart sank to his toes: he had come all this way, and now the person that he was seeking wasn't even here. Master or not though, there was still the need to protect his sister and he would do that no matter the cost. Within a short time, he had managed to find a place where the two of them could eke out a living with Eckhart doing what he had to in order to get food for the both of them. The two of them would often be subject to the insensitive attacks by highly trained Ninja within the city, bullying their way into getting what they wanted from him by using his sister as a hostage, or chasing them throughout the city; everyday became a struggle of uncertainty and worry, often making Eckhart have to stay up all night just to make sure that Oz wouldn't be taken hostage or used as a human shield when the other Ninja got into a tussle. For three years their lives would remain this way, until the day that everything would change in their favor.

Eckhart had just slipped and man's wallet out of his hand in the market and made a mad dash for an alley that he often used to hide when he had stolen something where Oz, now six, was waiting for him.

"Eckhart, I really think that we should try and find a way around this stealing business. You're taking too many risks." Oz urged as she counted out the bills and coins in the man's money pouch.

"Oz, we've been living like this for three years and no one has caught us. I think that…"

"There you are you little thief!" called a man from down the alley.

"Oh boy; time to go Oz." Eckhart said as the two of them ran from their hiding spot, Oz running one way with the money and Eckhart running another with the wallet. However he soon realized that the man wasn't following him and instead heard the cries from Oz.

"Hey, little boy! Is this brat your sister!?" the man called, waiting for Eckhart to return while he held onto her by her long red hair, almost pulling her from the ground.

"Yes, She is. Here's your wallet, now let her go." Eckhart demanded, tossing the wallet halfway between him and the man.

"That isn't gonna work kid. Get down on your knees and beg, beg for forgiveness." The man sneered, jerking Oz for added affect making her tears come even more. Slowly Eckhart lowered himself to his knees and bowed his head slightly.

"I ask of you to take back your wallet in exchange for…" his request was cut short when the man stepped up to him, dragging Oz with him and kicked him in the face.

"I didn't say _ask_ on your knees, I said beg!" the man then pulled a sharp dagger from his belt and held it to Oz's throat, pressing the cutting edge into her skin making Eckhart suddenly realize what he would do if he didn't 'beg'.

"Please mister, don't hurt my little sister. Just take your wallet and go!"

"YOU CALL THAT BEGGING! That was pathetic! I SAID BEG!" he shouted, pulling on Oz's hair again and pressing the dagger into her throat even harder. Eckhart began begging with all that he had while inwardly boiling with rage, looking around at his surroundings for a weapon of some kind. But no matter how he begged, the man only pressed the knife further into Oz's neck until he drew blood, making Eckhart lose patience and go charging the man with the only thing that he could reach for at the moment. Something huge landed behind the man while the sound of a knight hitting the ground clanked behind him making Eckhart skid and stumble to a stop. In a blur, the knight disarmed the man from behind while grabbing Oz, jumping back to Eckhart, holding a cloth to Oz's throat to stop the bleeding. Oz didn't stay there long as she wiggled her way out of the man's grip and ran to her brother, holding the cloth to her throat. The two of them were about to turn and flee when the strong hand of the knight clamped down on Eckhart's shoulder.

"Man of Kerning, why would you need to terrorize children as such?" A stern voice asked. The man turned around to stare into the unsettling gaze of a pure white feather dragon as it bared his teeth at him.

"I… they… I was just… They stole my wallet!" the man stuttered looking away time and time again only to be drawn back to the dragon's ice blue eyes.

"And terrorizing children like them for doing such a thing is a necessity why?" The dragon asked. The man could only stumble and stutter over his words as the dragon came closer.

"Yes, stealing from you is wrong on any level, however punishing them like this does not fit the crime. Now take your wallet and go." The dragon commanded. Agitatedly the man snatched his wallet from the ground and turned to walk back to the street past Eckhart.

"Young Lady, give the man back his money." The dragon said firmly, at which Oz timidly held out her hand with the money. The man roughly took it and stomped off, mumbling to himself something inaudible.

"Now then, I present to you the newly crowned Empress of Ossyria, Cygnus." The dragon said, lowering his head while a young girl no older than Eckhart slid on his feathers to the ground, placing a hand to his neck.

"Hello to you. I had heard there were a string of incidents here in Kerning and so came to investigate. What are your names?" Cygnus asked with bright eyes while an older gentleman dismounted the dragon as well behind her.

"I'm Eckhart, and this is my younger sister Oz." Eckhart answered with an apprehensive tone, his shoulder beginning to hurt slightly under the Knight's grip.

"It is a pleasure to meet the both of you. Where are you mother and father?" Cygnus asked. Eckhart only shook his head, not wanting to recount again why the two of them were on their own in the middle of Kerning City. Cygnus looked to the knight and slowly shook her head and furrowed her brow slightly, making the Knight ease his grip but still kept his hand on his shoulder

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She continued before looking up at the man beside her.

"Nienhart, would you have any objections if they were to be brought to Ereve under my care?" The man adjusted his monocle and then looked through his book of notes for a moment before nodding his head.

"From the looks of things, it has been a while since you had a decent place to stay for the night, so I will take you back to Ereve. My guardian beast here, Shinsoo shouldn't have any problem taking you with us. Right Shinsoo?" The dragon just smiled and shook his majestic head knight held his free hand forward leading them both onto Shinsoo's back and held onto them as they took to the skies.

"So Eckhart and Oz, right?" the Knight asked holding them asked. Oz nodded her head, finally able to get a closer look at him, suddenly realizing that he looked to be no older than they were.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet the both of you. I'm Mihile, Knight of the Dawn. I'm sure that once you're old enough, that you could become trainees under Shinsoo and myself if you so choose. There is one more girl that I think you'll make fast friends with who is in a similar situation as you two. Her name's Irena, but she's a bit quiet. Give her time and she'll open up to you." Oz felt a bit nervous, looking to Eckhart for any kind of indication that they would be alright, but Eckhart's mind was racing with his own thoughts: training under a knight and a dragon. That would defiantly give him the power needed to be able to protect his sister.

"I would like to start training as soon as I can." Eckhart demanded, making the older gentleman look back at him from his position next to the empress.

"I'm sorry to say, but as of right now you still need to face at least some kind of punishment for your actions here in Kerning."

"Nienheart, there is no need to be so harsh." Cygnus argued, but was subdued slightly when the man seemed to whisper something into her ear.

"For now, you and your sisters will be expected to do all of the soldiers chores for a month. I will leave you in the care of Mihile who will watch over you until that month in through."

"That is absurd!" Eckhart argued, shrinking back a bit when he was met with Nienheart's stern gaze.

"Then I shall present it to you this way. I and sympathetic to your situation, I truly am but you must learn from your mistakes." With a heavy sigh he took the monocle from his eye and turned to face them fully.

"Before I became the Empress' advisor, I was a rowdy soldier, always getting into trouble, even though I had my sister to take care of just as you do. On one of these occasions, I had been thrown into the brig and visited by Emperor Vladimir. He should have taken my sword, my title and my armor away right then and there." Nienheart paused and long moment as a nostalgic light shimmered in his eyes making Eckhart a bit uncomfortable.

"What did he do?" Eckhart asked, breaking Nienheart's gaze to turn back to him.

"He told me exactly what he _should _do, but then told me that I showed potential. He then told me that he would take me under his personal wing and train me hard to be the soldier that I could be, but that if I got out of line again, he would throw me out of the Ereve Knights on the spot permanently with no chance of ever coming back. I'm going to give you that same chance, to straighten out what your attitude. But if either of you get out of line again, I _will_ put you in prison, is that understood." Eckhart sighed an agitated, but understanding sigh, nodding his head while jutting his lower jaw out, chuckling to himself as he watch Oz nod her head furiously. Nienheart nodded in return and turned his gaze back forward while Cygnus leaned against him slightly.

"Returning father's favor are we?" she asked with a smile.

"Your father gave me a chance to straighten up and become the man I am today. Lilin and I share a similar life to these two, and while Lilin stayed far away from what I did while we were kids, I know what it is to do what is needed while living on the streets alone. They deserve the same chance that I received out of grace."


End file.
